Cream Cheese Frosting

So, you are back for the Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, are you? I promised and I will deliver.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 1/2 C. powdered sugar

8 oz. cream cheese

2 Tbsp. of milk or cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Beat cream cheese and butter until combined. Add remaining ingredients beat until fluffy. 
 You can add 2 tsp + of instant coffee if you want more "coffee" taste. 
We prefer it straight up cream cheese goodness.

Enjoy and don't forget to lick the beaters!

Besides the cinnamon rolls we like to make this up to 

top graham crackers, or pumpkin muffins. 

Where is that lip smacking smiley face?

Cappucino Cinnamon Rolls

Today is a great day to make cinnamon rolls, well really, any day is a great day for this yummy goodness. So we start out looking like this~

A

And end up with this~

Uhm, Yeah. 

Cinnabon in your OWN home.

Much healthier and much less expensive. 

So here is how we get from a bowl of leftover looking cereal mush to yum.

(it's been very hard not to eat these today! waiting for dh tonight)

(that's -dear husband, not designated hitter for all my men readers)

Begin with 1 tbsp. dry yeast. Dissolve yeast into 1 Cup of warm milk. I microwave 1 cup of milk for 1 minute. Always perfect.  I add a dash of sugar to help the yeast start doing it's thing. 

Once the yeast/milk is a bit frothy add:

1/3 C. sugar

1/2 C. melted butter, butter please! 

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

4 C. flour

Mix well. Knead into a ball. You will need to flour your (clean!) counter well. 

Knead until it is smooth. Spray bowl with a little non stick cooking spray and pop that ball of dough into it. Cover and let rest in a semi-warm place. 

I generally use my oven for this. Please remember to NOT turn your oven on for anything like say, oh broiling. (Don't ask me how I know these things.)

Once it has risen plop that dough onto your well floured counter again. (don't bother to clean up until you are ALL done with these rolls)

Roll out into a 17x10 rectangle and about 1/4 inch thick.

Melt 1/4 C butter. Spread onto dough.

Mix together in a small bowl~

1 C. brown sugar

3 Tbsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. Instant coffee granules (this makes it cappuccino, your choice)

Sprinkle this mixture on the butter spread on your dough.

 Roll up!

Here is my trick for getting nice slices. Perhaps it is not a trick to you but maybe it will be for somebody. 

Use a piece of thread to make the cuts. Place thread under roll. Pull up and criss cross.
Cut into 12 slices.

Place in greased pan.

Here is my trick for greasing the pan and not getting messy.

I place my hand inside a small plastic baggy. Then load with a bit o butter and smear into pan. This works great for lots of different things...bundt pan comes to mind.

 Then just toss the bag away, no greasy hand. Nice.

Ready to bake.

400 degrees for about 10 minutes.

When done, spread with icing. 

You want the icing recipe? 

Well, you'll have to come back tomorrow for that one. ;-)

Croutons

I have for you homemade croutons. They are really yummy, as in my family can't stop eating them. AND, they make the house smell deeelish! (Just ask my piano students that came today!) 

Croutons

Cube bread. This can be homemade bread, store bread, buns, rye, wheat...whatever you have and whatever you like. Here is the recipe for 3 cups of bread cubes but I always double or triple it! You can make these up ahead and freeze them. They keep well on the shell for a bit too...that is if you family doesn't keep snitchin' them. :-)

Start with 1/4 Cup olive oil (or your preference oil) and add the following:

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. salt 

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Pour over bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread onto cookie sheet pan and bake 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Stir once or twice during baking. 

 This makes yummy, slightly crunchy, slightly chewy croutons that are healthier and much less expensive than buying them at the store! That =

Happy Healthy Home

Enjoy!